Djohar

ELECTION PROBLEMS. The Comoros Islands' first free election broke up in disarray Sunday as President Said Mohamed Djohar rejected opposition demands for his resignation, opposition politicians said. Seven opposition presidential candidates, charging voting irregularities, met Djohar to press a joint demand for him to step aside immediately, suspend Sunday's elections and organize a new ballot within eight days. But Said Ali Kemal, speaking on behalf of the seven candidates, said that Djohar, who is also running in the elections, had refused to resign.

A French investigating judge Monday released 25 French soldiers of fortune after formally placing them under investigation in connection with their failed coup in the Indian Ocean Comoro Islands, judicial sources said. The sources said Judge Chantal Perdrix would investigate the soldiers' illegal confinement of Comoros President Said Mohamed Djohar during the coup bid and their membership in an armed gang.

Defeated mercenary Bob Denard was flown out of the Comoros on Friday to face trial in France as Comorian soldiers who had backed his short-lived coup cheered their release under an amnesty.But the man Denard ousted in last week's coup, President Said Mohamed Djohar, appeared unlikely to return to power in the Indian Ocean archipelago. Prime Minister Mohamed Caabi el Yachroutou convened a meeting of a new government that does not include Djohar, who was evacuated to nearby La Reunion by the French forces that overturned the coup.

ELECTION PLANNED. The nation's new interim leader says an election will be held in January to replace the president who was assassinated three weeks ago as European mercenaries took control of the islands. Mohamed Djohar invited six opposition parties, including the opposition Democratic Front, to take part in a ''free and democratic'' presidential election. Djohar said the election should be held in mid-January under the supervision of international observers.

Defeated mercenary Bob Denard was flown out of the Comoros on Friday to face trial in France as Comorian soldiers who had backed his short-lived coup cheered their release under an amnesty.But the man Denard ousted in last week's coup, President Said Mohamed Djohar, appeared unlikely to return to power in the Indian Ocean archipelago. Prime Minister Mohamed Caabi el Yachroutou convened a meeting of a new government that does not include Djohar, who was evacuated to nearby La Reunion by the French forces that overturned the coup.

ELECTIONS. Interim President Said Mohamed Djohar won the second round of the Comoro Islands' presidential election with 54 percent of the vote, the Ministry of the Interior said Monday. The results were contested at once by Djohar's rival, Mohamed Taki, who complained of widespread fraud in Sunday's vote on Anjouan island, which accounts for a third of the Comoros' population of 400,000. The results of this first free election in the Indian Ocean archipelago, a French colony until 1975, have to be validated by the National Electoral Commission and the Supreme Court.

The chief Supreme Court justice was arrested after leading a failed coup by the court's judges and politicians, the government announced Sunday. The Supreme Court ruled Saturday that President Said Mohammed Djohar was no longer capable of performing his duties and declared that Chief Justice Ibrahim Halidi should become interim president of the Indian Ocean island group. But Djohar said Sunday the coup had been foiled and its leaders ''will answer for their acts.'' Halidi was reportedly placed under house arrest, but there were no immediate details on what charges he may face.

Rebel soldiers seized the state radio station in the Comoro Islands on Saturday but the coup attempt was crushed without bloodshed, French and Comorian officials said. President Said Mohamed Djohar, who was on a pri-vate visit to Paris, said the coup attempt was engineered by the army company assigned to guard the radio station but failed to win support from other units or the pubic. Djohar claimed the rebels were linked to European mercenaries who formerly controlled the Comoros. The islands are off southeast Africa between Mozambique and Madagascar.

A French investigating judge Monday released 25 French soldiers of fortune after formally placing them under investigation in connection with their failed coup in the Indian Ocean Comoro Islands, judicial sources said. The sources said Judge Chantal Perdrix would investigate the soldiers' illegal confinement of Comoros President Said Mohamed Djohar during the coup bid and their membership in an armed gang.

Mercenaries who seized power in the Comoros and took the president hostage said Friday they acted to topple a corrupt regime and planned free elections to restore democracy. The mercenaries led by Bob Denard, a 66-year-old Frenchman, said they had formed a ''Military Transition Committee'' to rule the country temporarily. The committee said in a statement that President Said Mohamed Djohar had rigged elections, stolen public funds and engaged in other corrupt activities. The Comoros, an island chain in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa, were formerly ruled by France.

A French mercenary who once was the armed power behind the presidency of the Comoros led a new coup attempt Thursday in the impoverished island nation, taking the president hostage. Bob Denard, 66, led a group of foreign mercenaries that attacked the presidential palace and captured President Said Mohamed Djohar, officials at the Comoros Embassy in Paris said. The mercenaries also controlled the main army compound on the islands off Africa's east coast. Automatic-weapons fire and mortar fire were reported in Moroni, the capital, and several civilians were reported killed.

Rebel soldiers seized the state radio station in the Comoro Islands on Saturday but the coup attempt was crushed without bloodshed, French and Comorian officials said. President Said Mohamed Djohar, who was on a pri-vate visit to Paris, said the coup attempt was engineered by the army company assigned to guard the radio station but failed to win support from other units or the pubic. Djohar claimed the rebels were linked to European mercenaries who formerly controlled the Comoros. The islands are off southeast Africa between Mozambique and Madagascar.

The chief Supreme Court justice was arrested after leading a failed coup by the court's judges and politicians, the government announced Sunday. The Supreme Court ruled Saturday that President Said Mohammed Djohar was no longer capable of performing his duties and declared that Chief Justice Ibrahim Halidi should become interim president of the Indian Ocean island group. But Djohar said Sunday the coup had been foiled and its leaders ''will answer for their acts.'' Halidi was reportedly placed under house arrest, but there were no immediate details on what charges he may face.

ELECTIONS. Interim President Said Mohamed Djohar won the second round of the Comoro Islands' presidential election with 54 percent of the vote, the Ministry of the Interior said Monday. The results were contested at once by Djohar's rival, Mohamed Taki, who complained of widespread fraud in Sunday's vote on Anjouan island, which accounts for a third of the Comoros' population of 400,000. The results of this first free election in the Indian Ocean archipelago, a French colony until 1975, have to be validated by the National Electoral Commission and the Supreme Court.

ELECTION PROBLEMS. The Comoros Islands' first free election broke up in disarray Sunday as President Said Mohamed Djohar rejected opposition demands for his resignation, opposition politicians said. Seven opposition presidential candidates, charging voting irregularities, met Djohar to press a joint demand for him to step aside immediately, suspend Sunday's elections and organize a new ballot within eight days. But Said Ali Kemal, speaking on behalf of the seven candidates, said that Djohar, who is also running in the elections, had refused to resign.

Mercenaries who seized power in the Comoros and took the president hostage said Friday they acted to topple a corrupt regime and planned free elections to restore democracy. The mercenaries led by Bob Denard, a 66-year-old Frenchman, said they had formed a ''Military Transition Committee'' to rule the country temporarily. The committee said in a statement that President Said Mohamed Djohar had rigged elections, stolen public funds and engaged in other corrupt activities. The Comoros, an island chain in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa, were formerly ruled by France.

A French mercenary who once was the armed power behind the presidency of the Comoros led a new coup attempt Thursday in the impoverished island nation, taking the president hostage. Bob Denard, 66, led a group of foreign mercenaries that attacked the presidential palace and captured President Said Mohamed Djohar, officials at the Comoros Embassy in Paris said. The mercenaries also controlled the main army compound on the islands off Africa's east coast. Automatic-weapons fire and mortar fire were reported in Moroni, the capital, and several civilians were reported killed.

ELECTION PLANNED. The nation's new interim leader says an election will be held in January to replace the president who was assassinated three weeks ago as European mercenaries took control of the islands. Mohamed Djohar invited six opposition parties, including the opposition Democratic Front, to take part in a ''free and democratic'' presidential election. Djohar said the election should be held in mid-January under the supervision of international observers.